Comartin Cellars Chardonnay 2014
-
Enthusiast
Wine
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Citrus notes, lemon, baked bread and layers of classic Santa Cruz Mountains minerality.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Riding the delicate balance between ripeness and freshness, Adam Comartin's bottling shows warm white peach and toasted cashew on the nose alongside sea salt, tangerine pith, white jasmine, light honey and apple creme brulee aromas. Ripe stonefruit flavors are deftly cut by sizzling acidity on the palate.
Adam learned about wine and appreciated its connection to place and culture, by backpacking through Europe as a teenager. After returning to California, he obtained his degree in Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis in 2004. Once again looking to travel, he and Jennifer ventured to Australia and lived in the city of Adelaide outside the Barossa Valley. It is here that Adam was introduced to the Grenache grape and its ability to make exceptional wines.
When they returned to California, Adam went to work for Testarossa Vineyards, where he learned the intricacies of making world class Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay. On the road with Testarossa and the Grenache grape in the back of his mind, Adam discovered the premier sites in California for Grenache.
With winemaking experience and a passion to make the best California Grenache, Comartin Cellars was launched. Together, Adam and Jennifer oversee every process, from working with growers and fermenting the grapes to shipping the wines. In their eyes, it is vital to be involved in every step, ensuring exceptional wine quality and personable relationships with customers.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.